Ants routinely pull off feats that rival, and sometimes exceed, our own. They figured out medicine, farming and engineering ...

Leaf-cutter ant colonies can excavate soil volumes equivalent to humans digging a tunnel the width of the Panama Canal, with colonies reaching depths of 25 feet and containing up to 8 million ...

In the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes, scouts use chemical trails to mark potential targets and guide larger forces during raids. These reconnaissance missions are not without risk—scouts discovered ...

Insects like ants heal their fellow species, and they even perform surgeries. Biologist Erik Frank is researching their ...

Ants are complex and fascinating creatures that have been around since the dinosaurs. But because of their tiny size, it's easy to overlook the enormous role they play in nature.

Some ants are impressive farmers. You might have seen leaf-cutter ants carrying plant bits back to their colony — not for eating, but for farming. Ants use these plants to cultivate fungi, which ...

Leaf-cutter ants remove 1-2 tons of fresh plant material annually that is rapidly decomposed in the nest by symbiotic fungi, promoting changes in physical, chemical and biological conditions, and also ...